It was not clear exactly why the Antigua- and Barbuda-flagged Consouth collided with the Cook Islands-flagged Pirireis in the Mediterranean Sea. The accident occurred before 7 a.m. about 78 miles (125 kilometers) southwest of Greece's Peloponnese peninsula, a Merchant Marine Ministry statement said.

The 13,000-metric ton Pirireis, which was carrying fertilizer to Ukraine, sank just seven minutes after the collision, giving crew little time to react. Seven of its 17 Syrian seamen were rescued, and 2 bodies were later recovered from the sea.